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. 2004 May 24;73(3):332–337. doi: 10.1002/jmv.20095

The life cycle of SARS coronavirus in Vero E6 cells†

Zhang Qinfen 1, Cui Jinming 1, Huang Xiaojun 1, Zheng Huanying 2, Huang Jicheng 2, Fang Ling 2, Li Kunpeng 1, Zhang Jingqiang 1,✉
PMCID: PMC7166737  PMID: 15170625

Abstract

The aim of the study was to establish the life cycle of severe acute respiratory syndrome‐associated coronavirus (SARS CoV) in host cells and determine the pathogenesis of SARS. Vero E6 cells (African green monkey kidney cells) were inoculated with SARS coronavirus for 3, 7, 24, 48, and 72 hr, respectively, and were observed under electron microscope. It was found that the SARS coronavirus entered the cells through membrane fusion instead of endocytosis, and then the nucleocapsids assembled in the RER and matured by budding into the smooth vesicles, which were derived from the Golgi apparatus. The smooth vesicles fused with the cell membrane, and the mature particles were released. A special phenomenon was that some virus‐like particles appeared in the nucleus. We propose a scheme of the life cycle of SARS coronavirus and discuss the mechanism of its replication in Vero E6 cells. J. Med. Virol. 73:332–337, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Keywords: SARS coronavirus, life cycle, electron microscopy

†

Zhang Qinfen and Cui Jinming contributed equally to this work.

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